A&E’s The Omen TV Sequel Damien Trailer, New Info Released

A destiny fulfilled? That’s what the trailer for Damien, A&E’s new series that follows-up on The Omen wants you to believe. Set twenty-five years after the film’s events (despite the movie now being thirty-nine years old), The story picks up on Damien, now 30 years old, haunted by his past and plagued by his fate.

The trailer uses some of the most iconic imagery from the original film to support its cause, including young 5 year-old Damien’s most famous moment involving a tricycle. In addition to debuting the trailer, THR spoke with showrunner Glen Mazzara (previously of The Walking Dead) about bringing a sequel to TV so long after the original story.

First off, Mazzara clarifies that while there were sequels to the original film, they are not considered canon with the show.

“There are little nods to the second and third movies, but we’re not following the events of the second and third movies,” he said. The way the original film handled the supernatural was something he wanted to emulate. “How do you keep something grounded and yet keep the horror, especially something that has a supernatural element. How do you keep that surprising every week without it eventually becoming unbelievable or over the top? That’s something that the original film did really well. It felt like it took place in our world. To do that on a weekly basis with our show has been a challenge but it’s coming together nicely.”

Mazzara said that his time on The Walking Dead definitely affects the way he’s approaching this show, even though it was an adaptation where this is wholly original. He especially wants to emulate the “high level of filmmaking” on his old series.

The show won’t shy away from Damien’s role as the Anti-Christ, with promises that it’s addressed “right away in the first episode.” He promises as well that eventually, his destiny of bringing about the apocalypse will have to see fruition one way or another. “If he fails — if he succeeds as the antichrist — he destroys the world. If he succeeds as preventing it, he saves the world, so the stakes are very high here.” He wouldn’t say how long he hopes for the show to run, but did say, “that’s a long story to tell” and he hopes for “several seasons.”

The initial 10-episode season of Damien starring Bradley James will debut on A&E in the 2015-2016 TV season.

The trailer uses some of the most iconic imagery from the original film to support its cause, including young 5 year-old Damien’s most famous moment involving a tricycle. In addition to debuting the trailer, THR spoke with showrunner Glen Mazzara (previously of The Walking Dead) about bringing a sequel to TV so long after the original story.

First off, Mazzara clarifies that while there were sequels to the original film, they are not considered canon with the show.

“There are little nods to the second and third movies, but we’re not following the events of the second and third movies,” he said. The way the original film handled the supernatural was something he wanted to emulate. “How do you keep something grounded and yet keep the horror, especially something that has a supernatural element. How do you keep that surprising every week without it eventually becoming unbelievable or over the top? That’s something that the original film did really well. It felt like it took place in our world. To do that on a weekly basis with our show has been a challenge but it’s coming together nicely.”

Mazzara said that his time on The Walking Dead definitely affects the way he’s approaching this show, even though it was an adaptation where this is wholly original. He especially wants to emulate the “high level of filmmaking” on his old series.

The show won’t shy away from Damien’s role as the Anti-Christ, with promises that it’s addressed “right away in the first episode.” He promises as well that eventually, his destiny of bringing about the apocalypse will have to see fruition one way or another. “If he fails — if he succeeds as the antichrist — he destroys the world. If he succeeds as preventing it, he saves the world, so the stakes are very high here.” He wouldn’t say how long he hopes for the show to run, but did say, “that’s a long story to tell” and he hopes for “several seasons.”

The initial 10-episode season of Damien starring Bradley James will debut on A&E in the 2015-2016 TV season.